1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telecommunications systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved video mixing system for video and/or multimedia conferencing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Videoconferencing technology and applications have been available but have suffered from technical limitations, such as limited bandwidth, CPU load, and low resolution displays, which resulted in annoying tradeoffs between speed, resolution, and performance. Modern videoconferencing systems thus have suffered from low adoption rates due to poor video quality and user experience.
Higher quality (“High definition” or “HD”) video conferencing systems are becoming available that employ large screens and higher resolutions, as well as significantly more bandwidth. While such systems are becoming more widely deployed, they too suffer from cost and performance issues.
In a typical videoconferencing environment, it is desirable to display one or more slides or foils of a presentation using a presentation program such as Microsoft PowerPoint, as well as a live video feed showing, for example, current speakers. In some systems, a display may be used for the presentation and another for the speakers. However, physical constraints of a typical conference room (as well as financial constraints) make multiple displays inconvenient in many cases. Consequently, in many systems, a single large screen is provided for showing presentation slides, with the live video feed being displayed in a smaller window using “picture-in-picture” techniques. The smaller picture-in-picture window is relatively difficult to see and eliminates many of the benefits of HD videoconferencing. However, since seeing the slides is usually critical, there is often little choice for the participants.
As such, there is a need for a system that provides the benefits of HD conferencing while accommodating physical and financial constraints of users.